BET Awards 2014: The Winners

UPDATED: Beyonce won three awards, Pharrell Williams and August Alsina took home two apiece and "12 Years a Slave" prevailed as best movie.

The 2014 BET Awards ceremony took place Sunday, and the night's big winner was Beyonce. The pop superstar nabbed three awards, including the 2014 FANdemonium award, voted on by viewers. Pharrell Williams and August Alsina also had a happy night, taking home two awards apiece.

Nicki Minaj won for best female hip-hop star, and in her acceptance speech, she praised herself as a hip-hop star who doesn't have someone writing for her, an apparent dig at Iggy Azalea. Drake beat out Jay Z for best male hip-hop star.

12 Years a Slave was chosen as best movie, with the film's stars, Lupita Nyong’o and Chiwetel Ejiofor, taking home acting awards. Lionel Richie was honored with a lifetime achievement award.

One memorable moment of the night was Kevin Hart interrupting presenter Kerry Washington and referring to himself as "Oliver Pope," a reference to Washington's Scandal character, Olivia Pope. At another point, host Chris Rock tried to one-up 2014 Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres by passing out chicken and waffles from L.A. favorite Roscoe's.

The awards began under the shadow of violence, with one man shot to death and another stabbed in two separate pre-show incidents. BET said the preshow parties at which the violence occurred were not officially affiliated with the awards show. During the show, Rock joked that this is the only awards show where people worry about their safety.